Take a look at the front of your car. If it's a few years old, there's a good chance that those cheap plastic headlamp lenses the manufacturer slapped on there are starting to look as yellow as a heroin addict's teeth.

As a matter of fact, it's a miracle that any light at all shines through them anymore. So why not clean 'em up and make those headlights sparkle again. Sure it'll make your car look better, but more importantly, it'll increase the effectiveness of those two little bulbs that light the road while you're driving at night.

Basically, what's happening is that the crappy plastic the automotive engineers calculated would save weight, money, fuel, shipping costs, etc. is, well, crappy, and the outer surface is weathered. No need to go buy new headlamp lenses, this is essentially like getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist — rubbing off that nasty yellow film to reveal the shiny stuff beneath.

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You can go out and get your own sandpaper, rubbing compound and drill bits, but there are kits available that work pretty well and don't leave you with a bunch of leftovers. I bought 3M's kit at the local auto parts store for $27.

It takes roughly 30 minutes to uncloud each light. Maybe a little extra if you run out of beer and have to get more. But you should have thought about that when you were out getting the kit.

Now then, you can read the directions and all, but here's how I did it.

After years of sun beating down on lame plastic, it's no longer clear. My friend's van only had one original headlamp lens, so I only needed to do half the work. He replaced the other one after a windy day at the Santa Barbara City College parking lot did the other one in. He saw a pretty girl in a sundress, and as he was wondering what the wind would do to it, BAM! He ran into the back of someone's truck. Nice one, but yeah, less work for me.

I started by cleaning the headlamp lens and the area around it, so that the tape would stick.

You'll be using sandpaper attached to a high speed drill, so it's a good idea to mask the area around the light. That way you won't damage the paint and get rust there when it rains (especially if you live in one of those rainy/cold/salty places).

Next, you'll be using a rough sponge that comes with the kit to further smooth out the plastic. You're doing the same thing you did with the sandpaper. Make sure you're really smooth and thorough so that the lens looks good at the end of the process.